


Feel It In My Bones

by thesatanistauthor



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: AU, Angst, Coming Out, Crushes, Cute, Fluff, Injury, M/M, fast paced, levi is a clumsy art student, nico is still a surgeon, sassy taryn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-01
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-12-30 09:57:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18313292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesatanistauthor/pseuds/thesatanistauthor
Summary: Levi had always been notoriously clumsy. Like, really clumsy.Maybe that's why he was now in the hospital with a potential broken bone. All he had wanted to do was get the paints that were on the top shelf. He was just too short to reach that high and climbing on the chair (which was extremely wobbly) seemed like a good idea at the time.He didn't expect to be leaving the hospital with the phone number of his extremely attractive surgeon.





	Feel It In My Bones

**Author's Note:**

> this was a thing i wrote for jakeborellis on tumblr after seeing their prompt. it isn't good, i's hella rushed tbh and it was only meant to be a couple thousand words. not 8000. oh well, i hope this is okay? its pretty shit, pretty rambly and very bland. oh well.

Levi had always been notoriously clumsy. Like, really clumsy.

Maybe that's why he was now in the hospital with a potential broken bone. All he had wanted to do was get the paints that were on the top shelf. He was just too short to reach that high and climbing on the chair (which was extremely wobbly) seemed like a good idea at the time.

Looking back on it now, it was a dumb and really dangerous idea. He hated hospitals with a passion. They were creepy places full of horrible things. Plus, the doctors were never very friendly. At least, not from what he had experienced. Thankfully, his friend Taryn had decided to come along with him, not wanting him to be alone in such a place. They'd been best friends for the past few years and were extremely close to one another. She knew how much he hated hospitals.

She'd been with him the time he had to come in and get stitches when he broke one of the glass jars that held all the paint brushes. Levi's dumb ass had tried to pick up the glass instead of getting something else to pick it up, resulting in a pretty nasty cut to his hand. Taryn will never forgive him for that, as he dropped blood all over her carpet. They'd been working together on a project in Taryn's room and he nearly ruined it with his nasty bodily fluids.

"I don't want to be here," Levi groaned, resting his head back against the pillow behind him. It was a very uncomfy pillow. Taryn scoffed and turned to her friend, a brow raised at him.

"Well, it's your own fault we are here, Levi. Maybe if you'd asked someone to help you get them down, you could be finishing up your project- which is due tomorrow, may I remind you- instead of being stuck at a hospital." Taryn mentioned, using her hands to accentuate her words as she spoke.

"Why can't they just shove a cast on me so I can leave already?" Levi let out a sigh as he glanced around the ER, looking at everyone else who was lined up in beds. All he wanted to do was get out of there and hurry back to complete his work. His professor would genuinely murder him if he missed another deadline.

As Taryn opened her mouth to speak, two doctors approached Levi's bed. Finally, they were getting seen to.

"Levi Schmitt, I presume?" The woman grinned, a tablet in her arms. Levi nodded in response, watching as she tapped on her little tablet which he guessed recorded patient information. "I'm Dr. Grey and this here is Dr. Adler. Can you tell me what happened?"

"I was trying to get some paints down from the top shelf and used a very unstable chair to try to reach them. Next thing I know, I'm on the ground and my arm is throbbing." He explained, smiling awkwardly as he explained how he ended up in the hospital. Dr. Grey hummed in response as she listened.

"Did you hit your head at all when you fell? Did you knock yourself out at all?"

"No, I didn't. My arm took the full force of the fall." Levi glanced at his friend, who looked practically in love with Dr. Grey. He couldn't help but laugh a little. Taryn glared at him as she regained her composure.

"Alright. Dr. Adler, please page ortho for me," Dr. Grey instructed the other doctor, who nodded and rushed off to do just that, leaving the three of them alone. "I suspect you have a broken arm."

"Good, that means he can just be casted up and we can leave, right?" Taryn interrupted, to which Levi sighed. Of course, she would say that. Levi shot an apologetic sigh to Dr. Grey before she continued.

"Unfortunately, no. I'm worried this break may be more than just something like a hairline fracture. The ortho surgeon should-"

"Surgeon?!" Taryn exclaimed, causing both Levi and Dr. Grey to jump at the sudden outburst.

"Yes, surgeon," Dr. Grey smiled, even though Levi could tell it was forced. "He should be here soon. He'll check everything out and get scans done to see how bad the injury really is. Is that okay?"

"That's perfectly fine," Levi spoke before Taryn had a chance to. If he needed surgery to fix his arm, then he would need surgery, there was no way around that. It was his own fault at the end of the day. "Thank you, Dr. Grey."

She smiled at Taryn and Levi before walking off, leaving the two alone for a moment. Taryn groaned and shook her head, getting frustrated about being stuck in the hospital. She had the freedom to leave at any time she wanted, Levi didn't He was stuck here.

After a few minutes, Dr. Grey came back with another doctor trailing behind her. It was then, at that very moment, Levi wasn't too mad that he'd broken his arm. The doctor was  _extremely_  attractive. Levi had always heard of the term ' _gay panic_ '; now he was experiencing it first hand.

"Levi, this is Dr. Kim. He's one of the best ortho surgeons at this hospital and he'll be taking care of you from now on." Dr. Grey introduced the two before leaving once again. Levi could hear Taryn snickering beside him. If he could reach over and smack her, he would.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Kim. I heard you decided to climb on an unstable chair to get some paints?" He grinned. Levi swore his heart almost jumped out of his chest.

"Uh, yeah. Couldn't reach the paints. I'm too short." Levi scrambled over his words, not knowing what to say. Taryn had this knowing grin slapped across her face as she watched on.

"It happens to the best of us," Dr. Kim commented. "I need to get an x-ray done of your arm. If you come with me, we'll go get that done now."

-

Honestly, it didn't come to a surprise to Levi when Dr. Kim had told him he'd need surgery to fix his arm properly. Of course he would, his arm took the full force of his body. Well, he didn't really mind staying at the hospital for a little longer if it meant he had to see Dr. Kim a bit more.

Taryn, however, wasn't exactly thrilled she had to stay with him. Though, it did give her an excuse to not finish what she needed to do- and she needed to tease Levi about his little crush on Dr. Kim. That is what best friends are for, after all.

"He's cute," Taryn commented, catching Levi's attention. Thankfully, they had been put into a room away from the rush of the hospital whilst they had to wait for surgery. "You like him, huh?"

"What?" Levi laughed nervously, furrowing his brows in question.

"Dr. Kim, you like him. Levi, I'm your best friend. You aren't subtle about it. You practically have heart-eyes over him!" Taryn jabbed, taking her phone out from her pocket as she sat in the chair next to Levi's bed.

"No, no. I don't." Levi denied Taryn's words, but even he knew that deep down he had a thing for his doctor. He wouldn't ever admit it though. It wasn't like someone as attractive and smart as Dr. Kim would ever look twice at Levi in that way. He was a clumsy nerd who was extremely socially awkward the majority of the time. Plus, he wouldn't even begin to consider himself even remotely good-looking.

"Okay, sure. You don't have the hots for your doctor at all," Taryn was busy texting away on her phone now, but she still wore that same  _shit-eating_  grin. Hopefully, her loud mouth wouldn't say anything in front of Dr. Kim. Levi was sure he'd die on the spot if she said anything.

The door to the room opened to reveal Dr. Kim, grinning as he entered the room. Levi seemed to sit up straighter as he made his way over to the bed, ready to check on Levi. Taryn took mental note of this as she glanced at him through the corner of her eye.

"How you feeling?" Dr. Kim questioned, taking a quick glance at the machines next to Levi.

"Oh, uh," Levi cleared his throat. Taryn snickered, causing both of them to look at her.

"Sorry. Funny thing, on phone. Yeah."

"So?" Dr. Kim repeated, turning his attention back to his patient in the bed.

"Great," Levi nodded, biting down on his bottom lip to try to conceal his smile. "Just great."

Taryn couldn't hold her laughter in much longer, so excused herself from the room. Levi was ever thankful she did, knowing she'd probably say something which would end up leaving Levi mortified in the long run. Dr. Kim worked around Levi for a bit in complete silence, checking over a few things before he finally stopped.

"So," Dr. Kim began, catching Levi's attention fully. "You do art?"

"Yeah, I'm an art student, nothing too interesting." Levi lifted his shoulders in a shrug as he answered.

"I think art is very interesting," Dr. Kim grinned. Levi swallowed harshly at his words. "Artists have the most creative brains, they make incredible things."

"Yeah?" Levi hoped he wasn't blushing.

"Yeah. You must be incredibly talented. If you want, I can show you some photos of some of the things I've done over the past few months?" Levi suggested, to which Dr. Kim nodded. "My phone is in my bag over there."

As Levi went to get out the bed to get his phone, forgetting he was connected up to the machines, Dr. Kim held his hand out to stop him.

"Let me get it. Which pocket is it in?" He asked, scanning around the room until he found Levi's bag in the corner of the room.

"First one," Levi muttered, climbing back into the bed. He tapped his fingers against his leg as he waited, watching as this stranger dug through his bag. After a few moments, Dr. Kim stood up and walked back over to Levi's bedside, making himself comfortable in the chair just beside it. He handed the phone over with a grin.

"Your friend texted you," He stated. "Sorry, I didn't mean to look. It just kind of popped up, habit to look when you're a doctor."

Levi felt this strange pang of dread in his stomach as the attractive doctor handed over his phone. The grin he wore only made Levi feel more uneasy- who had texted him and what did it say? He turned his attention to his phone and read the text.

It was from Taryn.

"Shit," Levi grumbled, dropping his phone into his lap, hiding his face in his hands. He heard Dr. Kim chuckle beside him. Levi let out a muffled groan before removing his hands from his face. "I'm so, so sorry. I don't know why she'd-"

"Hey, it's okay. No need to say sorry for it," Levi's phone buzzed again from where it sat in his lap. "Is that her again?"

"More than likely. Hey, is it rude of me to ask what your name is?" Levi asked, curious to know what his doctor's name actually was. It seemed to take him by surprise.

"No, not at all. If that's what you would prefer to call me by, then I don't see a problem with it," He sat up in his seat, trying to conceal his grin. "My name is Nico. Nico Kim."

"Nico? That's a nice name. I like it." Levi repeated Nico's name, liking how it sounded.

"I like your name, too. Levi." Nico had this teasing grin about him. Levi shifted in his seat, clearing his throat a little. He could feel that all too familiar heat in his cheeks as he tore his gaze away from Nico. That's when he remembered he'd offered to show Nico some of the art he'd done. He picked up his phone from his lap, deleting the message notifications from Taryn as he put his phone on no disturb. After that, he opened up his picture gallery, scrolling through until he found some artwork of his.

"I offered to show you my work," Levi handed his phone over to Nico, their fingers ever so slightly brushing against each others. Levi's breath hitched in his chest as it happened, causing Nico to smile to himself. "It's not the best stuff I've done. I'm not overly good."

Nico scoffed at Levi's words as he checked out the art, zooming in on the photo to get a better view of the details. "Are you joking? This is incredible!"

"Really?"

"Really!" Nico smiled brightly at Levi, handing him his phone back. Levi couldn't help but grin, dipping his head low as he let out a breathy laugh. He couldn't believe Nico actually liked his work.

"Thank you,"

"No problem. Hey, listen, I have to go and check on some other patients before I get to your surgery. I'll have to talk to you later, okay?" Nico stood from his seat, the legs of the chair scraping against the floor. Levi's smile faded as he watched Nico make his way over to the door. He forgot for a moment that he was in a hospital. It felt natural and easy talking to Nico; he'd never felt like that around anyone before. Not even Taryn. As Nico opened the door, he turned back to look at Levi. "I'll come see you after your surgery. You know, to check up on you and all."

Levi forced himself to grin at that, even though he was still upset that Nico had to leave. Nico smiled at him one more time before he left, closing the door behind him. Levi let out a long, drawn-out sigh as he rested his head back against the pillow, bringing his hands up to rub his face. He felt as if he could finally breathe again. Levi knew he couldn't deny it any longer.

He had a thing for Nico Kim, who just so happened to be his god damn surgeon.

-

The surgery to fix Levi's arms went really well. It had been a little while since it had been done, meaning that Nico could go and check on him. Of course, he was going to make sure he was okay and coming around properly. Not for any other reason.

"Hey, Nico!" A familiar voice called his name. He turned to see Meredith Grey, running to catch up with him. He stopped walking and smiled as she approached him.

"Dr. Grey, you need me?" Nico raised a brow at Meredith, who just laughed and shook her head at him.

"No, no. How is that patient you had earlier, what was his name?"

"Levi."

"Yes! Him! Is he okay now?" She chirped, smiling brightly. Nico felt like she was up to something. She wasn't usually this cheerful around him. It was suspicious to say the very least.

"Yeah, he's great. I'm just about to go check on him, since he should be coming round from surgery. Why are you asking?" Nico questioned, tilting his head to the side as he looked down at Meredith. 

Meredith let out a sigh and lifted her shoulders in a shrug. "No reason."

She walked off just moments after that, leaving Nico to question what had just happened. He couldn't understand why Meredith had just asked him such a question. The fact she had such a wide smile only made him question it more. Levi was his patient, nothing more and nothing less. He was going to check up on him to make sure that he was coming back around after the surgery alright. That was it.

At least, that was what he was telling himself.

He knocked on the door of the room before he entered, poking his head around the door to see Taryn still sat by Levi's bedside. She smiled tiredly at Nico as he made his way in, ready to check on Levi. It was obvious that Taryn was fighting back sleep, yet she was adamant about staying by her best friend's side.

"You seem tired," Nico commented as he shut the door behind him. Taryn hummed in response, stretching her arms above her head. "How about you go and get yourself some coffee?"

"Hm, I suppose I could, now you're here to look after him. When is he gonna wake up?" Taryn got up from her seat, using her hands to straighten out her t-shirt.

"It should be any time soon. He's going to be somewhat out of it when he wakes up, so just be aware of that." He made sure to mention that, just so it didn't freak Taryn out. Often times, people would get freaked when someone came around out of surgery and they weren't themselves straight away. At the end of the day, they were under heavy sedation, they weren't going to be normal as soon as they come out of it. It would still be wearing off for a little while.

"Alright. I'll go get some coffee. I'm exhausted," Taryn yawned as she made her way over to the door, disappearing out the room without another room. It was nice to see that Levi had someone who cared so much about him.

Nico made sure to check that everything was normal with Levi before he decided to sit in the chair Taryn had just vacated. He wanted to stay there just in case Levi woke up. It'd be unsettling to wake up in a hospital room with no one there by your side to explain what had happened. The room was pretty much silent as Nico waited for Taryn to return from getting herself something to keep her awake. He tapped his fingers against the arm of the chair as he slumped back into the seat, pursing his lips together as he glanced around the room.

A few minutes passed and Taryn still wasn't back. It was late at night so there wasn't likely to be any queues for anything, so Nico was beginning to wonder if she'd fallen asleep on her way there. Just as he stood from the seat, the door opened to reveal Taryn, who looked a little flushed.

"Sorry, I got... distracted," She rushed out, keeping her head low as she shuffled into the room, coffee cup in her hand. Nico half-heartedly smiled at Taryn as she made her way back over to the chair. Nico made sure to step out the way. "He still out?"

"Yeah, I think so." Nico nodded, shoving his hands in the pockets of his scrubs. Nico excused himself and headed for the door, his hand resting on the handle when he heard a cough from behind him. He turned to see that Levi was beginning to wake up, Taryn also taking notice. She sat up straight in her seat, excited to welcome her friend back into reality.

Nico made his way back over to Levi's beside, Taryn watching him the whole time. She watched on as Nico adjusted the bed a little, so that Levi was sat more upright than before. She took note of the way he glanced at Levi, with this certain fondness about him. Taryn was a people-watcher and would often observe and catch the littlest of things about how someone acted around others. It was no different with these two.

"Hey, welcome back," Nico grinned at Levi, keeping his voice low as not to startle him. Levi groaned as he blinked his eyes often, still feeling quite groggy from the drugs. "You're going to feel a little weird for a while, that's normal."

"Thank you, Dr. Kim," Taryn chirped, scooting her chair closer to the bedside. Levi turned his head to look at Taryn, wincing slightly as his neck was stiff. It was difficult to move fast and he felt a little woozy.

"Anytime," Nico replied, grinning at her. "You'll probably be able to leave within a few hours if everything goes well with recovery. We'll discuss aftercare when Levi comes round a little more."

-

It had been a week since Levi had surgery on his arm and he was recovering well. It was frustrating to him, however, that he wasn't allowed to do much at the moment with his arm. Thankfully, he could use his other hand to paint with. His professor also let him submit his project late, which Levi was so grateful for.

Taryn had made sure to stay by his side the entire time, tending to his every need. In some ways, she was overdoing it and babying Levi, but she just wanted him to get better. She'd also recruited the help of their good friend Casey to help out when Taryn was too busy doing stuff to help with Levi. Thankfully, Casey didn't baby Levi as much as Taryn did and actually let him do stuff.

Before Levi had left the hospital, Nico had found him. Thankfully, Nico had just finished his shift, so he could chat to Levi without needing to rush off anywhere. Taryn left Levi with Nico so she could go and get the car to bring it closer for Levi, thankful that Nico had appeared when he did. During their little conversation, Nico had given his number to Levi, wanting to keep in touch with him. He wouldn't lie to himself; Levi was pretty freaking adorable. He found the art student rather intriguing and definitely wanted to get to know him better.

Taryn teased Levi relentlessly for a good day or two after, watching how Levi lit up every time his phone went off and how he was unable to hide his smile. She was sure that sooner or later, Nico and Levi would end up together at some point. She had bets on it with Casey too.

Levi was alone, both Taryn and Casey having gone out to get the shopping done, considering they shared an apartment close to where they studied. It was a lot cheaper and honestly so much better than having to use the accommodation provided. They actually felt like adults.

Levi had been texting Nico all day, letting him know how he was doing. Nico had mentioned to Levi how he wanted to catch up with him in person, to be able to spend some time with him. Of course, Levi had offered for Nico to come round any time he wanted. Sure, they had only really known each other for a week, but Levi had convinced himself there was something special between the two of them. Some times, he wondered what Nico saw in him to want to continue talking to him. How would someone like Nico even be remotely interested in someone like Levi? It all felt like a dream.

It was coming up to one in the afternoon, Casey and Taryn still nowhere to be seen. Levi knew they'd have trouble without him there, but they still insisted he stayed at home to rest. So when the doorbell rang, it took him by surprise. They weren't expecting anyone, nor were they expecting any sort of post that might be delivered straight to the door. Levi slid himself off the couch and plodded over to the door, expecting to open it to see some sort of Mormon or something.

However, he didn't expect to see Nico stood outside the door when he opened it. He greeted him with that same kind smile that always caught Levi off-guard.

"Nico?" Levi breathed, more than happy to see him standing there, even if he was slightly confused as to why he was here.

"I ran into your friend whilst shopping and she told me you were alone here, suggested I come and see you, since I'm not working today." He lifted one shoulder in a shrug, a playful grin tugging at his lips. Levi huffed and rolled his eyes, stepping to the side to welcome Nico in.

"Of course she did," Levi chirped. Typical Taryn. "Sorry it's a bit of a mess in here, it's not easy to clean when I can't use one of my hands. Casey and Taryn aren't exactly the cleanest of people."

"It's fine, my place is probably worse anyways. I barely have time to do anything at the moment," Nico joked, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jacket as he looked around. Levi closed the door behind him before rushing back over to Nico's side.

"Do you want anything to drink? Eat?" Levi asked, unsure as what to do with Nico now alone with him in his apartment. Nico shook his head, still looking at the scattered artwork around the room.

"No, thanks. Is this your artwork?" Nico furrowed his brows a little as he made his way over to an easel in the corner, wanting to get a better look at it. Levi trailed behind him, Nico's long strides proving difficult to keep up with.

"Yeah, it is," Levi stood next to Nico, tilting his head to the side as he studied his work. "It's a little rough but it isn't finished yet."

"I think it's brilliant. You're an incredible artist," Nico complimented Levi's work; no, he complimented  _him_. "You have a real talent."

"So do you. I mean, you literally fixed my arm a few days ago. You're just as much of an artist as I am." Levi let himself smile as he looked up at Nico, who was still admiring the work in front of him. Levi took a moment to really study Nico's features, watching how his brows furrowed a little, then relaxed. Eventually, Nico turned his head to look at Levi, catching his gaze.

It took Levi by surprise and he couldn't stop the blush that formed on his cheeks. Nor could he look away, completely entranced by Nico. Nico fully turned his body to face Levi, a slight smile playing at his lips. His eyes glanced down to Levi's lips before coming back up to catch his gaze once again. He took a small step forward, his hand coming up to rest against Levi's cheek.

Levi felt his breath hitch in his throat as Nico's hand rested against his cheek, his thumb ghosting across his skin. It felt as if the world around him stopped; time stood still and the only thing that mattered now was the man standing in front of him. Levi leaned up just a little, enough that their lips brushed together for a brief moment. A slight smirk played on Nico's face before he leaned down, catching Levi's lips in a kiss.

It was a moment Levi had never expected to happen, but he wasn't about to complain about it. Nico's lips felt soft against his own, this being something he had only imagined. Levi brought his uninjured hand up to rest against Nico's waist, his fingers gripping the fabric of his shirt. Levi took a slight step closer to Nico, their chests pressed flushed together as they kissed.

However, the click of the door interrupted them, causing them to separate from one another in a split second. They both turned their attention to the door, trying to act as is nothing had just happened between them. Though neither of them was exactly subtle about the whole thing. Levi kept his head held low, pursing his lips together as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Nico stood still, hands clutched together in front of him.

When Taryn and Casey eventually spotted them, they both shared a knowing glance. Levi felt absolutely mortified, his heart racing in his chest. He knew if he looked up at Taryn and Casey, they'd only tease him even more.

"Oh," Taryn's expression twisted into that of a smirk as she glanced between Nico and Levi. "Well, sorry to interrupt, but we need help to put all this shopping away. You can get back to... that, once we've finished. Okay?"

Levi and Nico nodded frantically as they rushed over to help Casey and Taryn carry all the shopping into the quaint kitchen. Within ten minutes, everything had been sorted and put away. Levi had still refused to make eye contact with anyone, taking all the easy jobs which he could handle. Levi had one last item to put away, yet the only space left was in the top shelf of one of the cupboards.

Levi being Levi, he didn't decide to ask for help. No, he instantly went to climb up on the counter to put it away. However, Nico rushed over to his side before he even had the chance to fully climb up there. He grabbed the item from Levi's grip, stopping him from climbing up anymore.

"I don't think that is exactly the best idea," Nico leaned down to whisper in Levi's ear, a teasing smirk ever present. A chill traveled down Levi's spine as Nico leaned down, the two of them just mere inches apart.

"Hey, you two, stop flirting and get on with it!" Taryn quipped, causing Casey to almost spit out the drink he was drinking. Nico rolled his eyes at Taryn's comment, moving back from Levi so he could put the item away and finish up.

"Don't you two have something else you need to do?" Levi remarked, glaring at the two of them. Taryn lifted her chin a little, raising a brow at her friend.

"Why, you got something- or should I say, someone- you should be doing?" Her comment was smart and Levi should have expected it to come from her. He let out a frustrated groan as Nico glanced at him, a tight-lipped smile slapped across his face. It was obvious he was trying not to laugh.

"Alright, that's enough, Taryn. Let's leave the two alone. Plus, you need to come with me to go and see our professor. Remember?" Casey nodded his head towards the doors, his eyes wide as he tried to silently tell Taryn that they may as well leave. Taryn just huffed as she walked off, upset that her fun had been ruined. "I'm sorry about her. You two have fun, I'll keep her occupied as long as I can."

Casey followed after Taryn after waving goodbye to the two. They didn't move from where they were until they heard the click of the front door closing. Only then did Levi finally feel like he could breathe again, as he let out the breath he'd unknowingly been holding. He brushed past Nico to make his way over to the fridge, opening it with a huff. Nico leaned back against the counter, crossing his arms as he watched Levi.

"She seems nice," Nico spoke. Levi just looked at him, his expression silently asking whether he was joking or not.

"She knows how to get under my skin. Taryn is my best friend though, I wouldn't trade her for the world. She's been by my side for the longest of times." Levi shrugged as he reached into the fridge, grabbing himself one of the water bottles they had stored in there.

He opened up the bottle, placing the cap on the side as he took a sip. Nico cocked his head to the side, letting out a short sigh. "I'm sorry for kissing you earlier. I shouldn't have done that, not without asking first."

"I don't mind," Levi shook his head, brows knitting together. "Not at all. In fact, I really liked it. A lot."

"Would you mind if I did it again?"

"Not one tiny bit."

-

"Do you not have to work tomorrow?"

How they had ended up here, neither of them quite knew. Levi had his head rested on Nico's bare chest, his fingers gently tracing shapes and patterns against Nico's skin. They were both snuggled up in Levi's bed, which was thankfully big enough for both of them. Nico had one arm rested behind his head, the other wrapped around Levi, keeping him close.

"No," Nico mumbled, turning his head slightly to look down at Levi. "Even if I did, I'd still stay."

Levi grinned fondly up at Nico. Levi had never been the type of guy to get with someone just a week after first initially meeting them. He had never been that guy and he had never planned to be. There was some sort of hope in him that this was more than just a casual hook-up, yet he knew that probably wasn't the case. It wasn't any secret that Levi had some sort of feelings developing for Nico. If Nico felt the same way, he sure wasn't letting it be known.

"Today has been... something," Levi mumbled, to which Nico hummed in response.

"It sure has. I definitely didn't plan on coming here for this. I'm not mad that this happened, at all. I'm just glad to see you're feeling a bit better." Nico moved his hand from behind his head so he could brush the hair out of Levi's eyes. The simple gesture was enough to make Levi feel a little giddy. He really wouldn't mind if that was how he spent the rest of his life. He could die right there and then and be fine with it all.

"This is just a one time thing, right?"

"Do you want it to be?"

Levi hesitated. "No."

It was silent for a moment between the two of them, before Nico let out a content sigh. He felt that same way, whether or not he would say so out loud, he didn't know. Levi was about to speak up and say something when he heard the door knock. He sat up from where he was in the bed, brows furrowing together as he wondered who it could be. It couldn't be Casey or Taryn; they both had keys to get in. Levi glanced at Nico before climbing out of the bed, quickly slipping on some clothes so he could go answer the door. Nico stayed sat in the bed, propped up on his elbows as he watched Levi slip out of the room.

Levi ran his fingers through his hair to straighten it out a little, so it looked less like post-sex hair and more like he'd just woken up from a nap. He opened the door to see his mother standing there, smile bright as ever. She welcomed herself in before Levi could even begin to say anything.

"I was wondering when you'd answer the door!" She chimed, carrying a brown paper bag in her arms. She made her way straight into the kitchen, placing the bag down on the counter before she turned to face her son. "Are your friends not here?"

"Uh, no- Mom, I'm a little busy right now, can you please-"

"Nonsense! I'm staying regardless of whether you want me to leave or not. I haven't seen you in a while- what happened to your arm?" Levi had completely forgotten to mention to his mother that he had kind of broken his arm last week and needed surgery to correct it. His mouth formed an ' _oh_ ' shape as he gripped his arm with his other hand.

"I kind of fell last week and broke my arm?" It came out like more of a question than he intended it to. "Look, I'm fine. I needed surgery to fix it but it's all okay now and I promise-"

"Surgery?!" She exclaimed, bringing a hand up to her chest. "Levi Schmitt, why did you not tell me this?!"

"I just got busy!" Levi argued back, trying to keep his voice low. He didn't want Nico to come out of his room right now. That would be a whole other story he'd have to explain to his mother. That wasn't something he wanted to do.

"Busy? With what?!"

Levi went to answer, until he heard a door open and footsteps approaching the kitchen. His heart dropped as he turned his head to look at the door, his mother doing the same. Nico appeared around the corner, leaning against the door frame as he glanced between Levi and his mother. He could have at least put a shirt on, for god's sake.

"Uh, hi," Nico spoke, folding his arms across his chest. Levi let out a deep sigh as he leaned back against the countertop, one arm across his chest as his other hand came up to pinch the bridge of his nose. Levi's mother slowly turned her attention back to her son, a brow raised and her mouth slightly agape.

"Levi?" Her tone was serious and questioning. Levi could tell she changed her stance by the sound of her heels clicking against the floor. His heart was pounding in his chest, a sense of dread filling the pit of his stomach. This is not how he wanted to come out to his mother. Not at all.

"This is Nico," He began, looking up at his mother, pursing his lips together as he braced himself for what was about to come. "He was my surgeon."

"And why is he here?" She asked, tone stern.

Levi looked over at Nico, his eyes filled with worry and panic as he did so. Nico nodded his head once, giving Levi the little confidence he needed to face his mother. With a deep breath, Levi was ready to finally tell his mother.

"He came over to see if I was okay and one thing led to another," He paused. He felt as if he could cry at any given second. This was a lot harder than he had ever imagined it to be. "Mom, I'm gay."

Silence.

Complete and utter silence.

Levi didn't know if he should say anything, he didn't know if his mother was going to say anything either. Nico just stood there, not knowing whether he should leave or stay. He felt as if was the thing stopping Levi's mother from saying anything. Maybe that was a good thing.

"You and I," Levi mothers started, choking up as she looked at her son. She took a deep, shaky breath, trying to compose herself. "Will talk about this later."

She stormed off after that, pushing past Nico without a care in the world, leaving her son thinking that she hated him. That was not the ideal way of coming out, but at least she now knew. Whether or not that was a good thing, Levi would find out later on. As soon as the front door slammed shut, Levi inhaled sharply, having to sit himself on the floor.

Nico made his way into the kitchen, taking cautious steps towards Levi before he sat beside him. He felt bad, guilty even; if he had just stayed in the bedroom instead of coming to see what all the commotion was, Levi would never have had to go through that. Well, at least not like that.

"Levi, I'm so sorry," Nico sighed, shaking his head, still trying to take in what he had witnessed. "I never meant for that to happen."

"No, it's okay. I would have had to tell her sooner or later," Levi sniffled, wiping under his eyes with his hand. "I just didn't expect that to be her reaction."

"I'm sure it will all be fine. It probably didn't help that I had to come and see what was happening." Nico couldn't put into words how bad he felt about it all. No one should have to go through that. They shouldn't have to think their parents hate them for something they can't control. Even though Levi was managing to keep it together, Nico could see he was hurting.

"Yeah," Levi managed a laugh. "That probably wasn't the easiest way for her to find out her son is gay."

Nico chuckled at Levi's remark, glad that he was able to make light of the situation. He held out his hand for Levi, offering him some support. Levi hesitated for a brief moment, before placing his hand in Nico's, lacing their fingers together. Nico gave Levi's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"She'll come round, trust me." Nico's words did make Levi feel better, whether he truly believed them or not. He was rather grateful that Nico was there after all.

-

Nico had been right about Levi's mother. After a few days, she finally calmed down enough to talk to Levi. She was more upset over the fact he hadn't told her about his arm more than anything. She wasn't overly upset about Levi being gay; it was just the way it happened that upset her. She just- hadn't expected her son to be sleeping with his surgeon of all things.

Mrs. Schmitt had been more than accepting of her son in the end. In fact, she admitted she'd suspected it for a while. She just didn't feel like it was right to bring it up in conversation. The whole fiasco had only brought Nico and Levi closer together as well. Sure, everything was moving pretty fast between the two, but they weren't going to confirm anything until they were truly sure about how they felt about each other. Until then, they spent every spare moment together. Though, they decided it best to spend that time at Nico's place, where it could be just them two together.

"What is the weirdest thing you've ever seen whilst at work? Surely you've seen some pretty bizarre stuff?" Levi watched as Nico slumped onto the couch with a groan, placing his feet in Nico's lap just moments later.

Nico took a moment to think back through all the things he'd seen. "Well, that is a difficult one. I once saw someone who'd been shot in the head and hadn't realized it. He came in complaining of a headache which wasn't budging, so he got sent in for some scans and turns out, there was a bullet lodged in his brain."

"Holy shit, did he die when it was removed?" Levi's full interest had been caught by this story. It seemed impossible to be shot in the head and actually survive it, let alone not even realize you'd been shot. Nico let himself laugh at Levi's reaction, shaking his head in response.

"No, he lived, actually. It surprised us all but he was perfectly fine in the end," To this day, Nico still wasn't sure how that guy had survived through it all, even making a near-perfect recovery. It was always mentioned around the hospital. "Surely you've seen some weird things too? You ever had to create or paint something weird?"

"Art is always weird. Everything I do is weird."

"I'm not weird."

"Well," Levi chuckled, to which Nico gasped at, though he knew that Levi was only teasing him. "You are a little weird. But, I can't complain."

Nico was silent for a moment, just watching Levi. It was no secret to anyone that Levi meant something to Nico. Really, truly meant something. "I'm glad you broke your arm."

"What?" Levi breathed, brows knitting together in confusion. That wasn't something that people generally told someone.

"No, not in that way," Nico shifted his position, causing Levi to remove his feet from where they had been placed in Nico's lap. "I'm glad you broke your arm because it meant that I got to meet you."

"Oh," Levi almost let out a sigh of relief. "Yeah, then I'm glad I broke my arm too."

"I never, ever expected to fall for a patient. Then, you walked in and all of that changed. I didn't even know if I'd actually be able to work around you without making a gigantic fool of myself. I've always been so professional and yet... You threw me off, completely." Nico admitted, the tone of his voice full of fondness as he spoke. Even his expression echoed how he spoke as he looked at Levi, unable to stop himself from smiling.

"You fell for me?" Levi's voice was quiet, soft. He could fell his cheeks beginning to flush at the words. Even if Nico hadn't really meant what he said, it still made him feel warm and loved.

"I did," Nico confirmed. "Still am."

"Oh, my god," Levi raised his hands to bury his face in them, concealing himself away from Nico, who only chuckled fondly at Levi's reaction. "You are so cheesy."

Nico shuffled himself next to Levi, who was still hiding his face away in his hands. He wrapped his arm around Levi's waist, tugging him in closer, enveloping him in a hug. Eventually, Levi relaxed in Nico's arms and hugged him back, pressing his nose into Nico's shoulder. It felt as though his stomach was swarming with butterflies, the metaphorical sensation feeling more than real. Nico truly made him feel special, in so many ways. Levi tightens his arms around Nico, suddenly not wanting this moment to end. He didn't want to let go of Nico; he never wanted to lose him.

It seemed dumb to be feeling so strongly towards Nico after only a couple of weeks, yet there was no way he could hold back his feelings. It was dumb to try and hide them away, especially when life was so short. He hoped that Nico felt the same way he did, that he didn't think he was rushing anything. He didn't want Nico to feel pressured into anything.

Little to Levi's knowledge, Nico did feel the exact same way. He shared the exact same, strong feelings. Though he'd dated many times in his life before, there had never been someone as incredible in his life as Levi. Everything seemed to be moving so fast, which would usually cause Nico to run for the hills, but with Levi it was different. He welcomed it.

Eventually, Levi pulled back from the embrace, his hands reaching to take Nico's in his own. He rubbed his thumbs across the back on Nico's hands, lips pursed tightly together as he let out a long sigh. Nico cocked his head to the side, silently wondering what Levi was doing.

"What?" Nico muttered, giving Levi's hands a gentle squeeze.

"Nothing," Levi's lips twitched up into a small grin for a brief second. "You're just... wonderful."

The compliment made Nico's heart do flips. Never in his life had he experienced that when someone had complimented him. Never. Levi was driving him crazy, but in such a good way that it honestly scared him.

"So are you," Nico mumbled. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"Is it wrong of me to have such strong feelings for you?"

Levi was silent. Nico wondered if perhaps he'd said the wrong thing. Then, Levi's blank expression turned into one of joy.

"No, because I feel the exact same way." He grinned, calming the growing nerves in Nico. Nico let out a small sigh of relief, dipping his head as he let out a breathy chuckle. Hearing those words come from Levi were like listening to angels sing. It was possibly the best thing he had ever heard in his entire life.

"Do you think..." Nico trailed off, locking his fingers together with Levi.

"Do I think?" Levi continued, almost a whisper as he spoke.

"Do you think there will ever be a time where I can call you mine?" Nico pondered, his lips turning up into a cheeky smirk. Levi mirrored his expression, before leaning forward to kiss Nico. 

The kiss was soft, steady. It only confirmed to each of them exactly what they were both thinking and feeling. It really was the start of something beautiful, something that neither of them would ever forget. It was the start of a long- sometimes tiring, sometimes incredibly heartbreaking- but incredible journey, that they would both get to experience together. 

They could just tell that this was right. They could feel it in their bones. 

**Author's Note:**

> i did tell you all that it was pretty shit.


End file.
